Beverage mixing and dispensing device



NOV- 25 1952 R. T. CORNELIUS ETAL 2,519,387

BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Sept. 11, 1948,|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIII-W FIGB 3 INVENTORS n: RICHARD T. CORNELIUS Ano aBY NELSON F, CORNELIUS Is A '2dr ATTOR EYs Patented Nov. 25, 1952BEVERAGE MDCING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Richard T. Cornelius, Minneapolis,and Nelson F.l

Cornelius, Robbinsdale, Minn.

Application September 11, 1948, Serial No. `48,786 11 claims. (Cl.299-143) Our invention relates dispensing devices and has for an objectto provide a device whereby any of several different drinks may be mixedand dispensed from a single device. A l

-Another 4object of our invention resides in providing a constructionhaving a lever provided with a handleadapted to be moved in differentdirections andvby means of which a diiierent drink may be dispensed whenthe handle is moved in each of said directions.

An object of our invention resides in `constructing the device with abody having an inner valve substantially centrally in the body forcontrolling the flow of. carbonated Water and with outer valves:encircling the inner valve and controllingthe flow of Syrups.

A still further object of our invention resides in providing aconstruction in which the operating handle always operates the centralvalve regardless of the direction of movement ofthe handle and in whichmovement of the'handle in any of a number ofdirections willcauseoperation' of one only of the outer valves.

Another object of our invention resides in providing guide means forguiding the handle formovement to operate one only of the outer valvesat a time.

An object of our invention resides in utilizing for the inner yvalve avalve member having a ring movable in a bore of the body and in furtherproviding a cage having a :bore formingla .con-

to beverage mixing and` tinuation of the bore of the body, said cagebeingI f provided with space Vbars forming passageways therebetween andthrough which'the liquidlentering the valve may pass in being dischargedfrom the device.

A further object of our invention resides in constructing the devicewith a cap having a conical socket and the operating lever with afheadmounted for swinging movement in said socket and formed with means foroperating the valves.

Another object of our invention resides in providing a nozzle on thebody detachable'therefr'oml are directed toward the axis of the'passagewayv for the inner valve.

Other objects of theinventionrreside in the'k novel combination andarrangement of parts and inthe details of construction hereinafterillustratedand/or described.v v

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a ,side elevational sectional viewitaren through the center ofa mixingand dispensingA device illustrating an embodiment ofmyinveneiAAV tion.

Fig. 2v is'a plan sectional view' taken Konz-line."

2-2 0f Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectionalview takenionY i Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof theparltsdof.tlxeV l invention detached fromone another andillus-I...

trating certain of the parts in section.

In the dispensingof soft drinks, it has soda V.fountain by .runningstreams of suitable syrups and carbonated water directly intothe., Theusual practice has been tos. provide separate dispensing devices foreach drink.. to be served. This greatly limits the number of differentdrinks possible Vof being 1 'served at;.a;,

drinking glass.

fountain. The instant invention provides a construction whereby fourdifferent drinks may be;l independently mixed and served at the fountainwith a single deviceand by merely movingthe operating handlel in one .offour .different-'..direc-i tions.

For operating the device, a lever I'I is employedY which isv mounted onthe body I0, andywhich when moved in different directions, operates the;requiredvalves and causes a stream of any de:l

sired syrup and a stream of carbonated water to flow from the nozzle. I

.The body f I I)v is [preferably cylindrical in form'.V and isconstructed so. that the .valves I I, I2a,z I2b,i` I2c and I 2d arearranged in directions parallelVVV With the axis of thefbody, thevalveII Ibeingarf. ranged in the center of the vsaid body4 and the-f;

valves l2a, I 2b etc., encircling the Valve I I.`

The valve I I comprises a valve stem lwhichis slidably mounted in a:bore I9 formed in thel Said valve stem is constructed'at .its lower endwith aavalve member-2| formed-withza. groove 22 and in which is disposeda resilientring y .|23 of any suitable flexible material. .A Thisringen-1f gages the wall of the bore IS-andl formszaiiuidi tightconnection for the said valve-member.V The:

body Ill.

bore I9 at the lower end of theisame'is provided with an enlargementzdand into which the valve ,member 2 lk is projected when the valve isopened.:w

ai; found highly economical tovmix the drinks at the.

This enlargement allows the fluid to pass around the valve member 2| andto be discharged from the valve. The valve member 2| is constructed witha tip 34 preferably conical in shape for facilitating the passage of theliquid about said valve member and for the discharge of the same fromthe device. The valve stem I8 has a reduced section 25 and the bore I9is enlarged at the locality of this section to provide a valve chamber26. A tube E? is brazed in a socket 28 formed in the body I and a hole29 is drilled in said body which communicates with the bore of the tube21 and the chamber 26. The upper end of the bore I9 is enlarged toprovide a section 3I of greater dimensions than the bore properindicated at I9. This section of the bore receives a compression coilspring 32 which is seated at its lower end against a shoulder 30 formedat the juncture between the bore I9 and the bore section 3l and isfurther seated at its other Vend against a button 33 formed on the upperend of the valve stem I8. This button is cylindrical in form and isguided for movement within the bore section 3I. By means of thisconstruction, the valve stern I8 is guided for vertical movement topermit of the valve member 2l being moved into the enlargement 24 ofbore I9.

The valves I2a, I2b, I2c and I2d are similar to the valve II and thedescription of the same will not be repeated. The corresponding partsthereof will, however, be designated by the same reference numerals asused to designate the corresponding parts of the valve II and to whichthe subscripts a, b, c, e, d will be added. The valve chambers 26a, 26hetc., of the valves I2a, I2b etc., communicate with passageway 35similar to the passageway 29 which further communicate with the tubes 36brazed to the body I0. The tubes 36 are connected to receptacles for thesyrups to be used with the invention and which may be fed to the deviceby gravity or by pressure if found desirable. Similarly, the tube 21 isconnected to a source of carbonated water.

The nozzle I6 is cylindrical in form and conforms to the shape of thebody I0 being disposed at the lower end of the same. The nozzle I6 isattached to the body I0 by means of screws, not shown, and which passthrough openings 12 in the said nozzle and are screwed into the body I0.To prevent leakage between the body and the said nozzle, a gasket isemployed which is seated in a recess 14 in the nozzle I6 and whichengages the upper surface of said nozzle and the under surface of thebody I0. This nozzle has a number of cavities 42 adapted to registerwith the enlargement 34a, 34h etc., of the bores of the valves I2a, I2betc. The said nozzle also has a bore 38 which forms a continuation ofthe enlargement 24 of the bore of the valve I I. The bore 38 has adischarge passageway 39 in alignment with the bore I9 of valve II andwhich discharges into a cylindrical chamber 4I at the lower end of saidnozzle open at its lower end. The cavities 42 are connected by means ofpassageways 43 with the chamber 4I. These passageways are arranged inconverging relationship and are directed toward the axis of thepassageway 39 so that any of the streams of syrup flowing from the sameintersect the stream of carbonated water flowing through the passageways39 thereby causing mixing of the syrup and carbonated water as the sameare discharged into the drinking glass.

For directing the rings 23a into the bores I9a etc., the walls of theenlargements 24a, 24h etc., are formed conical as indicatedat 44. WhereSyrups are being dispensed through the valves, the rings 23a etc., arereadily brought back into the bores by means of such surfaces. However,with the carbonated water, the valves occasionally stick, and to preventthis, I employed a cylindrical cage 45 best shown in Fig. 4, which has abase portion 46 formed with spaced bars 41 extending upwardly therefrom.These bars form passageways 48 therebetween. The cage 45 is insertedinto the enlargement 24 of bore I9 and is also received in the bore 38of nozzle I6. The inner surface 58 of this cage lies in continuation ofthe surface of bore I9. Between the end of the cage 45 and the end ofthe bore 38 is disposed a circular piece of wire screen 15 which servesas a strainer for straining the carbonated water leaving the device.

The lever I1 consists of a handle 5I which has a threaded insert 52adapted to receive the threaded end of a screw 53. The lever I1 furtherincludes a spherical head 54 through which the screw 53 extends. Thesaid screw passes through a spacer 55 which is seated against the head54 and which is also seated against the inner surface of a skirt 56projecting downwardly from the lower end of the handle 5 I. By means ofthis construction, the head 54, spacer 55 and skirt 56 are all clampedto the handle 5I. The head 54 is received in a spherical socket 51formed in a cap 58 mounted on the upper end of the body I0. This cap hasa plate-like portion 59 which rests upon the upper end of the body I6and which has a depending flange 6I received in an annular rabbet 62formed in the upper end of the body I0. The cap 58 is attached to thebody I0 by means of screws 63 which extend through the plate-likeportion 59 and are screwed into the body I0. The cap 58 has an opening64 in the same and in which the spacer 55 is disposed. This opening hasfour branches 65, 66, 61 and 68 which all intersect one another andwhich form guides for the handle 5I for movement in predetermineddirections. The head 54 is formed with a cam member 69 which rests uponthe button 33. This cam member is annular in form and when the lever I1is moved by swinging the handle 5I along any of the branches 65, 66, 61or 68 of the opening 64, the said cam member shifts said button 33downwardly and opens the valve II. The head 54 also has an annular cammember 1I at the outermost edge of the saine which when handle 5I movesalong any of the branches of the opening 64 engages one of the buttons33a etc., and opens the valve of which said button forms a part. Thespring 32 of valve 3I holds the head 54 in engagement with the socket 51while the springs 32a etc., hold the buttons 23a in engagement with theundersurface of the plate-like portion 59 of cap 58. When the parts aredisposed in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, all of the valves areclosed.

In the use of the invention, receptacles for syrups of different flavorsare connected to the various tubes 36 and carbonated water underpressure is connected to the tube 21. When it is desired to dispense abeverage of a certain flavor, handle 5I is moved in a manner causing thespacer 55 to travel along the branch of the opening 64 directed towardthe valve controlling the flow of syrup of the desired flavor. As thelever I1 is so moved by handle 5I both the valve I I and the propervalve of the valves I2a etc., are operated, causing streams ofcarbonated water and syrup to be simultaneously discharged from thenozzle I6. The stream ofsyrup being directed towardv the stream ofcarbonated water is mixed prior'to entry into the drinking glass andwhen received in the glass, is further mixed by agitation therein. Uponrelease of the handle 5|, spring 32 forces the handle back into normalposition as shown in Fig. 1.

The advantages of the invention are manifest.

The device is extremely simple in construction and can be manufacturedat a nominal cost. theuse of the particular valves employed, the valveswill remain tight for a long time. When looseness occurs, new rings areinserted and the device will continue to function. With our invention, asingle dispensing device can be used to dispense a number of diierentdrinks thereby requiring less counter space for the number of drinksserved and at the same time reducing the complication of the apparatus.

Changes in the specic form of our invention, as herein described, may bemade within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire toprotect by letters patent is:

1. In a. beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway of said nozzle, an operating levermovably supported on said body and having operating means for operatingsaid inner valve and other operating means for concurrently operatingany of said outer valves upon operation of said inner valve.

2. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway of said nozzle, a cap secured to saidbody and having a spherical socket, a lever having a head mounted insaid socket and guided for swinging movement with respect thereto, cammeans on said head for operating said inner valve and other cam means onsaid head for operating said outer Valves.

` 3. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways, communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway of said nozzle, said inner valvecomprising a valve stem having a valve member provided with an annularexible ring, said body having a bore in which said ring is movable, saidbore at its end having an enlargement, a cage mounted in saidenlargement and having a bore forming a con- Byl tinuation of said boreof the body and into which said ring is projected when the valve isopen, said i body, said nozzle having an inner discharge passagewaycommunicating with the passageway of said inner valve and outerpassageway communicating with the passageways of said outer valves,

the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed toward the axis ofthe inner passageway of said nozzle, said inner valve comprising a valvestem having a valve member provided with an annular exible ring, saidbody having a bore in which said ring is movable, said bore at its endhaving an enlargement, a cage mounted in said enlargement and having abore forming a continuation of said bore of the body and into which saidring is projected When the valve is open, said cage comprising aplurality of spaced bars forming passageways therebetween and throughwhich the liquid entering the passageway of the valve may flow whenleaving the valve and entering the inner passageway of the nozzle, saidnozzle having an enlargement of said inner passageway and said cagebeing adapted to extend beyond said body and entering said enlargementfor centering the nozzle relative to the body.

5. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and hav; ing passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valve, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway of said nozzle, said inner valvecomprising a valve stem having a valve member provided with an annularflexible ring, said body having a borer in which said ring is movable,said bore at its end having an enlargement, a cage mounted in saidenlargement and having a bore forming a con-- tinuation of said bore ofthe body and into which said ring is projected when the valve is open,said cage comprising a plurality of spaced bars forming passagewaystherebetween and through which the liquid entering the passageway of thevalve may now when leaving the valve and entering the inner passagewayof the nozzle, said nozzle having an enlargement of said innerpassageway and said cage being adapted to extend beyond said body andentering said enlargement for centering the nozzle relative to the body,and a strainer in said nozzle seated against the-end of said cage.

6. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway' asians? of-said nozzle,saidvalves'including valve-stems with valve members adapted to close saidpassageways, a button on the end of each of said valve stems, a capattached to said body and disposed about said buttons, said cap having aspherical surface whose center lies along the axis of the inner valvestem, a lever having a head mounted for oscillation in said socket, cammeans on said head forv engagement with the button of the inner -valveand other cam means on said head for engagement withthe other buttons.

7. In a bevarage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway of said nozzle, said valves includingvalve stems with valve members adapted to close said passageways, abutton on the end of each of said valve stems, a cap attached to saidbody and disposed about said buttons, said cap having a sphericalsurface whose center lies along the axis of the inner valve stem, alever having a head mounted for oscillation in said socket, cam means onsaid head for engagement with the button of the inner valve and othercam means on said head for engagement with the other buttons, saidsecond cam means being spaced romthe buttons of the outer valves toprocure coordinated opening of said inner valve and any of the outervalves upon movement of the handle to its extreme position.

8. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway of said nozzle, said valves includingvalve stems with valve members adapted to close said passageways, abutton on the end of each of said valve stem, a cap attached to saidbody and disposed about said buttons, said cap having a sphericalsurface whose center lies along the axis of the inner valve stem, alever having a head mounted for oscillation in said socket, an annularshoulder on said head adapted to engage the button of the inner valveand to reciprocate the valve stem thereof to open said valve uponmovement of the lever in any direction and a second annular shoulder onsaid head adapted to engage the buttons of the valve-stems of any of theouter valves and to reciprocate the valve stern of any of said outervalves when the lever is moved in the proper direction.

9. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with thepassageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inneripassageway of said nozzle, said valves includingvalve stems with valve imembers adapted to close said passageways, abutton on the end of each of said valve stems, a cap attached tosaidbody and disposed about said buttons, said cap having a sphericalsurface whose center lies along the .axis of .the inner valve stem,'alever having a head mounted for oscillation inxsaid socket, an annularshoulder on said head concentrically disposed with reference to thebutton on the inner valve stem and adapted to engage the marginalportion. of said button .to depress the lvalve stem `and open the valveupon movement of said lever in any of a number of directions, a secondannular shoulder on said head adapted to engage the buttons of the valvestemsof any of the outer valves and to simultaneously reciprocate theinnervalve stem .and the valve stem of any of the outer valves when thelever is moved in the proper direction.

l0. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis vof the inner passageway of Ysaid nozzle, said valves includingvalve stems with valve members adapted to close said passageways, abutton on the end of each of said valve stems, a cap attached to saidbody and disposed about said buttons, said cap having a sphericalsurface whose center lies along the axis of the inner valve stem, alever having a head mounted for oscillation in said socket, said headand the inner button having juxtaposed concentric annular portionsnormally in engagement throughout their circular extent, said portionscausing reciprocation of the inner valve stem upon movement of saidlever in any direction to open the inner valve, a second annular portionon said head adapted to engage the buttons of the valve stems of anyofthe outer valves and to simultaneously reciprocate the inner valve stemand the valve stem of any of the outer valves when the lever is moved inthe proper direction.

ll. In a beverage mixing and dispensing device, a body, an inner valvemounted in said body and having a passageway therethrough, a pluralityof outer valves encircling said inner valve, and having passagewaystherethrough, a nozzle on said body, said'nozzle having an innerdischarge passageway communicating with the passageway of said innervalve and outer passageways communicating with the passageways of saidouter valves, the outer passageways of said nozzle being directed towardthe axis of the inner passageway of said nozzle, said valve includingvalve stems with valve members adapted to close said passageways, abutton on the end of each of said valve stems, a cap attached to saidbody and disposed about said buttons, said cap having a concavespherical surface facing said buttons and whose center lies along the.axis of the inner valve stem, a lever having a ball-shaped head mountedfor oscillation in said socket, said head and the inner button havingjuxtaposed concentric annularportions. normally in engagement throughouttheir circular extent, said portions causing reciprocation of the innervalve stem upon movement of said lever in any direction, to open theinner valve, a second annular portion on said head adapted to engage thebuttons of the valve stems of any of the outer valves and tosimultaneously reciprocate the inner valve stein and the valve stem ofany of the outer valves when the lever is moved in the proper direction,a spring acting against said inner valve button and urging said buttonoutwardly to bring said inner valve member into closing position and tourge said head toward said socket.

RICHARD T. CORNELIUS.

NELSON F. CORNELIUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record n the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

